spider lilly

In article <mbleeker.373.00000C4A at euronet.nl>, mbleeker at euronet.nl (Marco_Bleeker) writes:
> There are also Hymenocallis species in the tropical rainforest, am I
> correct? I think I found it in Surinam. Are there many H. species ? Would H.
> be more characteristic for either the Amazone or Guiana plateau floristic
> region ?
>>> <mbleeker at euronet.nl>------------<http://www.euronet.nl/users/mbleeker/>
>>-------------<Plants, Programs, Primitive creatures>------------------<
> <Marco Bleeker>------------<nl-en-de-fr>------------<Amsterdam, Holland>
Hymenocallis (sensu stricto) extends from SE U.S. to Northern SOuth
America. The species you saw in Surinam rain forest was H. tubiflora.
In the Andes there are 2 related genera, Ismene and Leptochiton which
some botanists treat as part of Hymenocallis (I don't). The greatest
number of Hymenocallis species are in Mexico. In Florida we have 5-8
species. In the West Indies there are about the same number. Total
number for genus is around 50 probably. The genus seems to evolve
primarily via aneuploid and polyploid increase in chromosome number, the
flowers are very similar on most species, the two combined make it difficult to
determine species delimitation.